CNN's GUT CHECK | for September 26, 2013 | 5 p.m.
– n. a pause to assess the state, progress or condition of the political news cycle

THE LEAD UP TO DEFAULT

GOP SHIFTS FOCUS FROM BUDGET TO DEBT CEILING: With a possible government shutdown in five days, Speaker John Boehner on Thursday signaled a shift in Republican tactics with the focus now on negotiating a compromise on raising the federal debt ceiling next month instead of a short-term spending plan now. – Tom Cohen

OBAMA AGAIN REFUSES TO NEGOTIATE: “I will not negotiate on anything when it comes to the full faith and credit of the United States of America. We’re not going to submit to this kind of total irresponsibility. Congress needs to pay our bills on time. Congress needs to pass a budget on time. Congress needs to put an end to governing from crisis to crisis.”

AND SHE IS IN:WENDY DAVIS TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR IN TEXAS… State Sen. Wendy Davis of Texas will run for governor next year, two Democratic sources familiar with the planning confirmed to CNN. The Democrat, who gained national fame after her 13-hour filibuster over a controversial abortion bill, was already scheduled to make an announcement about her political future on October 3. – Peter Hamby and Ashley Killough

THE BUZZ: Among Facebook users in the U.S., Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas is feeling the spotlight. Here are some numbers on his recent boost in social currency:
– 99% jump in # of mentions from 9/23 to 9/24
– Another 136% jump from 9/24 to 9/25
– Before 9/24, the vast majority of mentions came from people over 55.
After 9/24, the age split got much more even among 18-24, 24-34 and 35-44 year olds.

MARKET WATCH: Dow and S&P end higher, breaking 5-day losing streak, but gains are slim on continued fears of government shutdown.

TRAIL TRIVIA(Answer below)
The first Kennedy-Nixon debate was broadcast on television on this day in 1960. What was the first presidential debate to be broadcast on radio?

It was just a few years ago when the tea party’s momentum swept Republicans into power in the House and helped the GOP win seats in the Senate. A day after the congressional election in November 2010, 32% of Americans said they considered themselves a tea party supporter, according to Gallup.

Times, however, have changed.

According to a new Gallup poll released today, support for the tea party is at a near-record low, with just 22% of Americans identifying as supporters of the movement.

What’s more, the intensity of support for the tea party appears to be waning.

“The majority of Tea Party opponents call themselves strong opponents, while supporters are evenly divided as strong and not strong supporters,” Gallup writes. “The net result is that 17% of Americans consider themselves strong opponents of the Tea Party, contrasted with 11% who are strong supporters.”

Why does this matter? Because as students of political language, we noticed that charged rhetoric in Washington often follows – and goads – public opinion.

“Actually I don’t even like to use the word ‘Republicans’ because this is a name that has been hijacked by a segment of the Republican Party, the Tea Party element in the Congress,” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said at a news conference last week. “Legislative arsonists are at work when they start using the debt limit for their own agenda.”

the LEDEDid you miss it?

Leading CNNPolitics:Iran olive branch in Kerry's hands heading into key talks
It's been more than 30 years since high-level officials from the United States and Iran sat down together to talk face-to-face. If everything holds, that drought ends on Thursday. Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif are set to meet in New York as part of a meeting between the Middle Eastern country and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany. They will explore restarting talks on Iran's nuclear program. – Elise Labott, Michael Pearson and Joe Sterling

Leading Drudge:44 At 43%
President Obama's job approval rating is just 43 percent now, down slightly from earlier this month and the lowest since March 2012. Forty-nine percent disapprove, the highest it has been in two years. – Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Anthony Salvanto and Fred Backus

Leading HuffPo:I Still Might Shut It Down
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) insisted Thursday that the government would not shut down, but he also flatly refused to pass a "clean" spending bill to keep Uncle Sam in business next week when the bank account runs dry. "I do not see that happening," Boehner told reporters on Capitol Hill after meeting with Republican legislators. – Michael McAuliff

Leading Politico:Another Obamacare delay
The Obama administration is delaying another piece of Obamacare — this time postponing enrollment in most of the small-business exchanges scheduled to open Oct. 1. Small businesses looking to enroll in coverage on so-called SHOP exchanges run by the federal government can start their applications on Oct. 1 — they just won’t be able to enroll online until November. – Jason Millman and Jennifer Haberkorn

Leading The New York Times:House G.O.P. Leaders List Conditions for Raising Debt Ceiling
Their demands include a one-year delay on the president’s health care law, fast-track authority to overhaul the tax code and blocking new E.P.A. rules on greenhouse gases, among other things. – Jonathen Weisman and Ashley Parker

HOT SOTSThe political bites of the day

- Pryor captures America's feeling about Washington -DEMOCRATIC SEN. MARK PRYOR OF ARKANSAS IN A SPEECH ON THE SENATE FLOOR: "I am currently undergoing shutdown fatigue. We are tired of this. We are tired of the drama. We are tired of you know, honestly the other chamber embarrassing the Congress and doing these dramatics. People are just tired of it."

- Republicans are listening, says Boehner -HOUSE SPEAKER JOHN BOEHNER IN A PRESS CONFERENCE ON CAPITOL HILL: “The American people don't want the President's health care bill and they don't want the government to shut down. Republicans are listening. We passed a bill last week that would do just what the American people have asked. It's time for the Senate to listen and pass the bill we sent over there.”

- Carney surprised by no "birther bill" -PRESS SECRETARY JAY CARNEY AT THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS BRIEFING: "House Republican leaders have said that they will not let the country default. They have it within their power to ensure that that does not happen. They are the only party to this discussion here in Washington who are suggesting that raising the debt ceiling is conditional and it is conditioned upon them achieving what based on reports to day of what is an extraordinary laundry list of Republican perennials. The only thing I didn’t see mentioned was a birther bill to attach to it. So, this is too serious to be playing games with."

- Holder: Where is ‘common sense’ on guns? -ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER AT A PRESS CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON: "We have to ask some fundamental questions as a society. There are obviously Second Amendment rights that have to be respected, but we also talk in our founding documents about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, life. And for us not to respond to these tragedies in a more meaningful way, I think says an awful lot about the state of our politics that I think are common sense."

TOP TWEETSWhat stopped us in 140 characters or less

Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO)
NSA chief at hrg now says it is goal of NSA to collect data base of all Americans phone records and put them in "lock box."

Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports)
.@jrpsaki: "There's no question there's a new opportunity with the @HassanRouhani gov... see if it follows w/ action" http://on.msnbc.com/194n7Ku

Jim Clancy (‏@clancycnn)
#Iran #Rouhani earlier called on #Israel to join #NPT nuclear treaty and come clean on its own #Nuclear program

Crossfire CNN (@CrossfireCNN)
For the second time this month, @PressSec Jay Carney challenged a reporter to go on #Crossfire http://on.cnn.com/19CSC0n

TRIVIA ANSWER from @DanMericaCNN

The first presidential debate to be aired on radio was between Republicans Harold Stassen and Thomas Dewey who were jockeying for the GOP nomination in 1948.

The debate occurred just days before the Oregon primary and centered on the question of whether or not the Communist Party of the United States should be abolished. According to media reports from the time, the topic choice was made by Dewey.

The debate is widely considered a win for Dewey. And because it was broadcast around the nation, it is credited for winning him the GOP nomination.

Dewey would go on, however, to lose to Truman in the 1948 election.

GUT CHECK WINNER’S CIRCLE (why aren’t you in it)

Congrats to Michael Bazemore Jr (@MGBazemoreJr) for admitting he “cheated” to get the correct answer. Honesty wins!

soundoff(4 Responses)

A very misleading headline. It's the Republican Congress that refuses to negotiate. I expect better from CNN than this nonsense.

September 26, 2013 05:10 pm at 5:10 pm |

rs

So now that the budget defict is the lowest since 2008, now the GOP wants to act (up)? Timing is everything, boys.

September 26, 2013 05:11 pm at 5:11 pm |

Allow Me to Translate

rs
So now that the budget defict is the lowest since 2008
---

Translation: The tax hikes are taking more of your hard earned money to fund the massive federal government, including Obamacare.

(Why not raise them or double them because the economy is great I hear?)

September 26, 2013 05:51 pm at 5:51 pm |

rs

OBAMA AGAIN REFUSES TO NEGOTIATE:

A very misleading headline. It's the Republican Congress that refuses to negotiate. I expect better from CNN than this nonsense.
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Hey they did well yesterday de-bunking the GOP talking points on the ACA, that can't be on their "A" game everyday!